Spectacular Auckland Harbour Bridge light show a warm up for New Year's main event

A message from Batman? Security guard Daniel Ironside captured the lightshow from his post at the Auckland's Viaduct.

It was an early call on lights, camera, action as a spectacular light show woke Auckland residents this morning - a warm-up treat as New Zealand gets set to welcome in the New Year.

Social media pages were aglow with speculation on the light show with some joking Batman was sending a message to the good people of Tāmaki Makaurau and others pointing to an Omicron warning.

Security guard Daniel Ironside was working at the Viaduct in the early hours and captured the lights punching through the morning haze.

"I work security across Auckland so I could see the confusion the lights were causing many residents on various Facebook pages," he said.

"My pic seemed to answer their questions and put their minds at ease."

Ironside said he loved all of the "tongue in cheek conspiracy theories" and said he would be watching tonight.

"The benefits of having access to various businesses means I'll have a great view of tonight's display and hopefully I'll be able to film it.

"It all depends on how busy work gets at the time."

Northcote Point resident Christine Smith was woken with blue light through her window at 4am.

"I wondered what on earth it was in my befuddled state because it was just static, it looked like searchlights.

Residents of Birkenhead and Northcote Point were woken by the bright lights of the city ahead of tonight's New Year's event. Photo / Christine Smith

"But then it started to play and it was just gorgeous. We have seen a lot of light shows because we face the city but this was something else."

The show went on for at least an hour, Smith said with the Sky Tower joining in.

"The Sky Tower was dancing along and everything was extra colourful, extra special, and full of vim.

"It was just beautiful to see after the year we have had."

Auckland's North Shore, especially Northcote and Birkenhead and parts of west Auckland will have grandstand seats of the light show, as will those seeing in the New Year at the Auckland's Viaduct precinct.

Georgia Brechelt caught the Sky Tower glowing red from her North Shore home. Photo / Georgia Brechelt

Pam Ford from Auckland Unlimited said the Vector light show "Auckland is Calling" was designed as a respectful way to see in the New Year with the pandemic still at the forefront.

The show would see the Harbour Bridge, Sky Tower and Auckland War Memorial Museum lit up and would signify the region's welcome to visitors from around New Zealand, and eventually the world.

The creative idea was drawn from the concept of the Tomokanga created by Katz Maihi from Ngāti Whātua. The Tomokanga-themed bridge lighting reflects the 19 iwi of Tāmaki Makaurau and the weaving together of people, land and sea.

Covid-19 saw the traditional midnight fireworks display from the Sky Tower snuffed out this year as a way to discourage crowds from gathering at the base of the landmark.

SkyCity Entertainment chief executive Michael Ahearne said the orange setting did not allow it to have its big fireworks display.

"Our team have done some work with the council, Auckland Unlimited, the Police - just the practicalities of it mean we can't do the fireworks."

It had bought the fireworks and they were sitting in a warehouse so he said they would have to find another reason to let them off during 2022.

The shift to orange in the new traffic light system means outdoor gatherings with no vaccine pass requirement still requires physical distancing and a limit of 50 people.